This invention relates generally to light fixtures and, more particularly, to light fixtures such as outdoor lanterns fabricated from plastic and/or metal parts.
This application has particular application to light fixtures of the type comprising a base, a top spaced above the base, and a plurality of glass panels at the sides of the fixture which form an enclosure for a lamp. The glass panels are held in place by upright bars extending up from the base to the top of the fixture, typically at the corners of the fixture.
In prior designs involving metal fixtures, the base and top of the fixture are formed either of cast metal or of stamped sheet metal, and the panel-holding bars (sometime referred to as "channels") are fabricated from sheet metal, such as sheet aluminum, stamped and bent to form elongate members with laterally-opening channels for receiving respective side edges of the glass panels. This prior construction has several drawbacks. First, channels fabricated from sheet metal have a surface finish which looks substantially different from the surface finish of cast-metal parts. In a fixture having a cast-metal top and base, this difference in appearance detracts from the overall appearance of the fixture. Another drawback is that channels formed from stamped and bent sheet metal lack the structural strength and rigidity of an extruded member. Also, the channels of the prior design have a tendency to corrode when subjected to outdoor conditions.
In prior designs involving plastic fixtures, the channels are traditionally molded as an integral part of the base, the top being a separate molded member. This construction restricts design flexibility compared to a modular system where the base, top and channels are separate pieces.